ON his Test debut last month, young top order batsman Tarisai Musakanda made headlines after teaming up with Malcom Waller for a brilliant runout of Sri Lanka’s Dilruwan Perera at Rajapaksa International Stadium in Hambantota.
BY MUNYARADZI MADZOKERE
The well-executed runout grabbed the attention of various international media outlets, including the Australian publication, news.com.au, who described it as “one of the smoothest runouts you’ll ever see.”
Fielding at point, Musakanda ran and dived to his right to prevent a backfoot shot from Asela Gunaratne piercing the infield.
As he fell to the ground, he flicked the ball up to Waller, who also gathered it one-handed and fired a one bounce-throw to keeper Regis Chakabva.
Chakabva whisked the bails off the stumps to catch hesitant non- striker Perera short of his crease. “Amazing, amazing bit of work from Musakanda,” the authoritative Cricinfo.com’s commentary of the dismissal read. “One of the plays of the year. Or decade. Or ever.”
A few days earlier, Musakanda had earned the praises of his skipper Graeme Cremer, who singled out his excellent one-handed catch to dismiss Akila Dananjaya as a vital moment of the match as Zimbabwe sealed a historic ODI series win.
This was exactly what Musakanda’s teenage dreams were made of until the game he loved the most overlooked him and he was nearly lost to rugby.
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After the disappointment of being left out from the Under-19 cricket World Cup squad in 2012, Musakanda, then a talented utility back from Prince Edward Boys School, found some solace in rugby.
He was part of the Zimbabwe Schools side for South Africa’s annual Craven Week rugby festival, one of the world’s biggest schoolboy rugby tournaments in the world.
Musakanda injured his back before the tour and was forced to pull out of the squad but still bounced back to earn selection for Zimbabwe’s Under-20 rugby team in the African qualification competition for the World Junior Rugby Trophy, as the team’s flyhalf later that year.
Cricket, as Musakanda confesses was always his first love and he later made further amends when in 2014 he was part of Zimbabwe’s 2014 Under-19 Cricket World Cup played in the United Arab Emirates.
But how did he end up in junior national rugby team colours?
“Well, with rugby I cannot recall how I ended up on the playing field but all I remember is that I played it for the fun and it was a sport that kept me fit and strong during the winter season,” Musakanda told Sports World.
“To cut a long story short, I did not make the 2012 Under-19 World Cup team that went to Australia but in that same year I made the junior rugby side so naturally, I thought I was better in rugby,” Musakanda continued.
“The highest level that I played for was the Zimbabwe Under-20 side [Young Sables] in 2012 and also in 2015 I played for Old Hararians just for a few games. I was a utility back but I really liked playing flyhalf. At some point I never thought I was going to hold the bat and ball again but here I am,” the Mid West Rhinos player said.
Now aged 22 years old, Musakanda is enjoying himself in Liverpool, England on tour with the Zimbabwe Rising Stars Cricket Academy as he angles to build his own cricket legend for the country.
His recent Test debut against Sri Lanka meant that he has now been capped in all three formats of the game — quite a remarkable achievement for the player considering his tender age.
It has been the fulfilment of a lifelong dream for the Masvingo-born Musakanda, who from the first day he stepped onto the cricket field while at Godfrey Huggins Primary School in Marondera, dreamt of playing for the national cricket team and becoming one of the best fielders in the world.
“Cricket was my first love. I was taught by my cousin Kudakwashe Charamba and when I got to Grade 2 [2001], I was invited by Jestinos Gwatiringa and Godfrey Kaswa to play for the colts team at Godfrey Huggins Primary School in Marondera,” recalled Musakanda.
“I had big dreams when I started and representing my country was my biggest dream. Now that I have achieved that, I feel really great and I’m happy because all the hard work I put has finally paid off.”
The right hander played cricket and rugby at all the schools he attended, namely Godfrey Guggins, Marondera High, Watershed College and later Prince Edward.
He was on scholarship at all the high schools he attended.
The Kadoma-based player rose through the ranks at Mid-West Rhinos and also played for the Zimbabwe Under-17 team.
Musakanda spoke about his experience during the tour of Sri Lanka where he earned his maiden Test cap, as well as the piece of action that gave him a snippet of stardom.
In fact, the famous runout in the Test match also took him by surprise.
“When I ran to the ball, my intentions were to stop the single and when I flicked the ball to Waller, I couldn’t see where they [the batsmen] were, only to discover that Perera was way short of his crease after Waller threw the ball.
“It was a very challenging experience playing in my first Test but at the same time it was exciting and I enjoyed all the five days,” he said.
Now that his international career is well set, the young cricketer has other goals to achieve for himself and the country.
“I want to have good averages in all formats and my biggest goal now is to win games for the nation and at the same time converting my scores. Also, I want to be ranked among the best fielders in the world,” he said.
In the meantime, he knows he has to improve his game in taxing England conditions playing against some of the best upcoming talent in that country before the academy tours India in October. 0
